Recap: Kamen Rider Gaim, Episode 38 – The Return of the Professor

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Kota gets to the waterfront, but he’s too late. He finds Takatora’s trashed Driver and Lock Seed. Meanwhile, a shorts-wearing Ryoma watches him nearby.

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Over at tower, Redyue watches a silent Mitchi. She likes what she’s sees from him right now, his heart must be hurting from having to kill his own brother.

Mitchi turns and laughs. “Don’t be ridiculous! I’ve surpassed my brother! I’m finally free from the Kureshima Takatora curse!”

“You’re wrong,” a voice suddenly says. “You can never escape me.”

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Next to Mitchi appears Takatora. He says everything Mitchi has now is because of him. He’s earned jacksh-t. Mitsuzane is a kid that can’t do anything on his own. “Just admit that’s who you really are.”

Mitchi yells at Takatora to shut up and to leave him alone. It is Takatora who can’t do anything any longer.

Redyue watches, intrigued. “Who is he talking to?” she wonders as there is no one in the room other than her and Mitchi.

headTakatora continues to taunt Mitchi. “You are my shadow. If I disappear, you will too.” Mitchi freaks the frak out, yelling for headTakatora to shut the hell up and leave.

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“Oh my my,” Redyue says, “could it be that you are… broken?”

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Back at the Garage, Mai sees a sullen Kota walk up. He hands her Takatora’s Driver and Lock Seed. Mai can’t believe it. What has happened to their Mitchi?

“He’s added to his sins!” Kota says. “He needs to wake up and open his eyes! If we give up, then he will truly be alone.”

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Suddenly, the shorts-wearing Ryoma pops in, mockingly applauding Kota’s passionate display of friendship and about Takatora’s demise.

Kota charges toward Ryoma, but he trips him into the trash. Ryoma says they can play for a while and they both henshin.

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Zack comes down from the Garage and henshins to help Kota. But Ryoma manages to easily handle both of them, even as Kota uphenshins to Lemon Energy Arms. Ryoma is ready to deliver a final strike, but Kaito arrives with his arrow pointed at Ryoma’s head.

Zack and Kota surround Ryoma and he dehenshins. Fine, if they want to listen, he has a proposal.

They head into the Garage, now also joined by Minato.

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Ryoma knows they want to save the people being held prisoner at the Tower, but they don’t have a way in.

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He’s not in an ideal situation right now either, so he proposes they help each other. For them, he will show them a way into the Tower through his secret tunnels. But the entrance is outside of Zawame.

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How can we trust you, Zack asks. Ryoma says they have no other choice. Sensing their unease, Ryoma says fine. He’s in no hurry anyway, but them?

Ryoma leaves to give them time to think it over.

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Over in Helheim, Redyue, with Mitchi at her side, gives Roshuo another update on the energy collecting. The Queen will be revived in no time.

But we’ve also suffered many losses as well, Roshuo says. That’s why them Femushinmu are even one step closer to extinction.

Wasn’t it all your doing, Redyue says. He shows Roshuo the video of Kota in Kiwami Arms, the power of the Golden Fruit. Why would Roshuo show such mercy as to provide the humans, their enemy, with such a power.

Humans are not our enemies, Roshuo says. “I’m merely hastening the fate of the monkeys who are doomed anyway. If there is a human who can find a different path for their future, I will have to rethink my position.”

“Have you allowed the snake to seduce you, my King?”

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Roshuo sends Redyue flying. “We must see this through to the end. As we pass on to destruction, this is our final duty.”

Mitchi is amazed there someone who also thinks like this amongst the Overlords.

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Back at the Garage, Oren, Jonouchi and Peco have joined the discussion. Minato warns them against trusting Ryoma. But Kota says they should do it. He hates to admit it, but Ryoma is right. They might not have much more time; his sister and the others.

Oren says Kota needs to cool his head. This might not be a wise decision. But Kaito posits that losing a chance to strike because they are afraid of Ryoma is not a wise decision either.

The discussion doesn’t seem to have gone anywhere. Kota and Kaito head outside to the park.

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Kota asks Kaito if maybe they are being reckless. But Kaito says it doesn’t matter. They should just use Ryoma instead. Kota says he wishes he was more like Kaito at times like this.

Mai comes running up to them. She notices Kaito wears his belt all the time now. He says at a time like this, you never know. Kota says he’s also been reliant on his belt too, for food. Mai says he still needs to eat real food. Bando has been worrying as well.

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Anyway, Mai tries to stay positive and says once it is peaceful again, they should have a party at Drupers. Kota says that’s a good idea, as long as all of them will be able to make it there.

“Are you thinking about Kureshima Mitsuzane again?!” Kaito asks. Kaito remembers Mai telling him that not abandoning her friends is her strength, but what about Kota.

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It’s different with Mai because she is strong by facing her own future. Kota, meanwhile, only cares about everyone but himself.

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Mai says she too would like to know what kind of future Kota sees for himself. She hopes he can tell her when all this fighting is over.

I’ll think it over, Kota says. He and Mai walk on ahead as Kaito’s wound bothers him again.

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Next day, Peco and Mai are out shopping for supplies. Mai again leaves money at the counter. They leave the store to find some medicine, but outside to meet them is Mitchi.

“I’ve come for you. Please come with me,” Mitchi says with a huge smile.

“Please open your eyes!” Mai pleads. But Mitchi merely replies, “I know you’re just confused. If you calm down, you’ll see that I’m right. I don’t blame you. This situation is enough to drive anyone mad.”

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“That’s why I’m going to take care of you now. You don’t have to worry about anything. Please come with me.”

Peco puts his hand on Mitchi’s shoulder, telling him to cut it out. But Mitchi says…

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“Shut your mouth, trash.”

An Overlord pops in and knocks Peco into the trash. He tries to fight back, but only gets beaten to a pulp. Mai begs Mitchi to tell the Overlord to stop or Peco might die.

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“Please come with me,” Mitchi repeats.
“Fine! I’ll do what you say! Just please stop!”

Mitchi motions to the Overlord to let Peco go and it tosses the bloodied Peco aside.

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Mai wants to run over to Peco, but Mitchi says they should go. The Overlord drags the helpless Mai along.

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Kota and Kaito come running to Peco who struggles to tell them Mitchi has taken Mai. Kota speeds off.

Mitchi takes Mai to the foot of Yggdrasill Tower where Redyue is waiting. She asks who the woman is, but Kota comes running.

Mitchi tells the Overlord to take Mai as Redyue continues to be amused by this funny little kid.

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“Mai-san has been chosen,” Mitchi says. “Trash like you doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near her.”

Mitchi henshins and quickly charges toward Kota.

“Stop it! Open your eyes already!!!”

Mitchi continues to attack and Kota henshins straight to Jinba Lemon. They battle.

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Kota can’t believe this is the same Mitchi he’s always cared about. Mitchi just cackles as he continues delivering harsh blows. Kota quickly goes Kachidoki and manages to knock Mitchi off his feet, but Mitchi counters and sends Kota flying.

Redyue is taking absolute pleasure in this scene.

Just as Mitchi is about to deliver a final blow to Kota, headTakatora appears again.

“Now you’ve attacked everyone close to you. Someday, that will include that woman. She surely will get in your way.”

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Mitchi merely yells at headTakatora to leave, but that slight pause allows an opening for Kaito to arrive. Kota manages to get up, but when he’s got a point blank shot at Mitchi, he too hesitates.

Kaito knocks Kota aside and tells him he’ll end up dead if he continues to fight like this. Kaito faces off against Mitchi as Kota goes Kiwami Arms.

Kota and Kaito manage to knock Mitchi around a little easier, but Mitsuzane just continues to laugh. He sends a Melon Energy Squash their way and both Kota and Kaito go down.

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Kota and Kaito try to deliver final strikes of their own, but Mitchi just swats them away.

“The future is mine for the taking,” Mitchi says. “No one will get in my way.”

headTakatora appears once again in front of Mitchi, but Mitchi finally fires his finisher straight through headTakatora and right at Kota and Kaito.

Kaito says they must retreat, but Kota insists on saving Mai. Kaito repeats that Kota cannot defeat Mitchi as he is now.

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“Go ahead, I’m letting you go,” Mitchi says. “Now run along with your tails between your legs.”

Kota is incensed, but Kaito drags him away. Redyue is very amused.
As is Mitchi who continues cackling at himself.

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Kaito tells Kota that that guy is not the Kureshima Mitsuzane he once knew. Can’t Kota tell? Mitchi has the strength of determination only gained by getting rid of all his doubts and hesitation. He is not afraid of anything anymore and that’s a fine line to have been crossed. There’s no going back for him now.

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Episode Thoughts
OMG YES. This is the sh-t I want to see. (Sorry movie promo episode.)

Amazing episode with definitely lots of great emotional and affecting beats that really drive home that this is a twisted, screwed up situation for everyone involved.

I think everyone knows Mitchi’s insane, but what’s interesting about headTakatora is that he should basically represent Mitchi’s conscience. Okay, so he’s talking to himself, as Redyue is so amused by. But I take headTakatora to be Mitchi’s inner struggle. The thing is, crazyMitchi is winning that battle inside his head. Mitchi’s light side/headTakatora’s got no shot whatsoever in a futile attempt to get Mitchi back on solid ground.

Standing ovation for Mahiro Takasugi though. Like, seriously. Mitchi’s insane, but Mahiro Takasugi is an even more insane actor. What a tour de force performance, seriously. Such an effortless evolution (or more precisely, descent into hell) for the character and this young actor has absolutely hit it out of the park.

Shorts wearing Ryoma was so hilariously absurd. He’s the less serious evil maniac on this show and that’s completely in line with what we’ve seen of him over the course of 38 episodes. I don’t know if I should expect him to be the evil buffoon who gets done in by his showy bafoonery or if his aloofness means Mitchi’s ascent to being the big bad will end in unsatisfying tragedy.

I’m rooting for a Kota-Mitchi endgame, that is, I want the climax to be between them and the rest of their friends. Or at least to focus on them.

Which is why I love seeing Zack really step into the spotlight lately as a Rider and now this episode Peco getting in the line of fire just like Rat and Rika and Akira in recent episodes.

I was, however, hoping for a bigger confrontation between Minato and Ryoma. They did okay with Ryoma and Takatora the other week, but I was hoping for more snark from Ryoma and more bitchface from Minato.

With the little things, I do love Mai leaving money at the counter of the abandoned stores. So depressing. I loved that Helheim perspective shot of the orange going through the Crack.

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And about the Overlords. I’ve always wondered if their colors meant anything. Or foreshadows anything. Roshuo = White = Kiwami Arms/Kota. Redyue = Green = Ryugen/Zangetsu = Mitchi. And Demushu = Red = Baron/Kaito.

I dunno. lol

Anyway. Amazing episode. I hope they don’t let up anymore moving forward. No more movie promo episodes. Just power through to the finale.

3 thoughts on “Recap: Kamen Rider Gaim, Episode 38 – The Return of the Professor

  1. All this for a crush?! I have a crush on a boy in my school but I don’t go psycho and try to kidnap him! Mitchy is bonkers. Like cuckoo. And I think that they shouldn’t be friends with that bastard.

    1. I am excited to see what kind of ending awaits. I think it’ll be some tragic ending where Mitchi realizes his evil deeds and asks for forgiveness but it’ll be too late.

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